Amusement ride device



Dec. 7,1937. vMsTANZEL 2,101,274

AMUSEMENT RIDE DEVICE Filed Nov. 1, 1935 Patented Dec. 7, 1937 I [UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT RIDE DEVICE Victor Stanzel, Schulenburg, Tex.

Application November 1, 1935, Serial No. 47,744 6 Claims. (cram-as This invention relates to an amusement device.

An object of the invention is to provide an amusement device of the character described embodying a passenger car or ship composed of two independent parts or units rotatably mounted on a common axis and in either direction, with means under the control of the operator for rotating or revolving the separate units in opposite directions, or in the same direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character described, a twopart passenger car having a ballast tank mounted between the parts with means for varying the amount of ballast in the tank.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described comprising a suitable stand, or derrick, with a truss-like beam or structure mounted thereon to revolve in a plane which is angular with-respect to the vertical, with a passenger car mounted at one end of the beam, and with ballast tanks mounted at opposite ends of the beam with means for varying the amount of ballast in the respective tanks depending on the load contained in the passenger car.

With the above and other objects in view,-

the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation, and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the device.

- Figure 2 shows an end view, and Figure 3 shows an enlarged fragmentary sectional view.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates a suitable stand of the required height which is maintained securely in upright position by the guide wires, or rods 2. At the top of the stand or derrick I, there is a fixed vertical standard 3, and extending at, approximately a 45 degree angle to the standard 3 and firmly secured thereto there is the bearing 4 in which the shaft 5 is rotatably mounted Fixed to the upper end of said shaft 5 there is a transverse bearing sleeve 6 in which the transverse shaft 1 is rotatably mounted.

The numeral 8 designates a beam which may be of truss-like formation and which is suitably secured to the ends of the transverse shaft 1 whereby the beam may be moved up or down about the axis of the shaft 1. This up and down movement, however, is limited by suitable stops and is provided so as to add flexibility to the structure as well as to determine, by lifting one end of the beam, the condition of the balance of the beam as hereinafter more specifically explained.

Mounted on the upper end of the beam there is a tank 9 which may be anchored to the beam in any preferred manner, and leading into which there is a water line I0 which is connected into the pump I I mounted on a suitable platform carried by the beam, and this pump may be operated by the conventional reversible electric motor 12 operably connected therewith.

Mounted on the lower end of the beam' 8 there is a tank l3, and leading from the pump II and connected into said tank l3 there is a water pipe I4. Water may be pumped back and forth from one ballast tank to the other so as to properly balance the beam in accordance with the load r tobe carried by the passenger car hereinafter referred to and the necessity of shifting the water balance from one tank to another may be determined by lifting the lower end of the beam.

There is a transverse supporting rod l5 suitably attached-to the lower end of the beam 8 and which extends axially through the tank I3.

The front and rear units I'I, I8, of the passenger car or ship are mounted to rotate about the front and rear' ends, respectively, of the rod I5. An electric motor I9 is mounted on the beam 8 and is connected by suitable sprocket wheels and sprocket chains as 2|], 2|, and 22, to the units I1, I8, so that the latter may be rotated, it being understood that the passengers in the units of the passenger car are to be strapped in place in a secure manner. The passenger ship has a rear propeller 23 which may be driven by any conventional electric motor 24 located in the rear part of the unit I8.

With the passengers located in the ship, the ballast may be shifted from the tank 9 to the tank I3, or vice versa, by the pump II so as to give the proper balance. If desired, a suitable catapult arrangement (not shown) may be used to start the ship for a quick take-off and additional motive power in addition to the propeller 23 may be employed if desired. The beam will revolve about the axis of the bearing 4, thus sending the passenger ship around a circle in a plane that is at 45 degrees to the horizon, or, in other words, the ship goes up on one side of the circle and down on the other. Starting from a level position, the ship banks slightly, climbing at a 45 degree angle on the first quarter,

then to a level vertical bank on the half or high point, then down at a degree dive, and back to normal at the starting point. During operation, with the ship carrying full load, the beam is nearly perfectly balanced on the shaft 1, thus assuring a smooth operation up and down and around.

A hangar arrangement 25 is provided to hold the ship on the ground or in place while passengers are being loaded and unloaded.

It is, of course, obvious that the mechanical structure of the stand I, as well as of the beam 8 may be varied as desired.

The drawing and description disclose what is now. considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An amusement device comprising a stand, a beam mounted to revolve thereon, ballast tanks at opposite ends of the beam, means for shifting a ballast liquid back and forth from one tank to another, apassenger ship formed of separate units and rotatably mounted adjacent a tank at one end of the beam.

2. Am amusement device comprising a stand, a ship supporting beam mounted to revolve on the stand in a plane at an angle to the vertical whereby the elevation of the ship is varied, a passenger ship mounted on the beam to rotate about an approximately horizontal axis, and means for balancing the beam.

3. An amusement device comprising a stand, a beam mounted to revolve on the stand, a ballast container on one end of the beam, a passenger ship composed of separate units mounted to rotate on a common axis and on opposite sides of the container and a counter weighting means on the other end of the beam.

4. An amusement device comprising a stand, a beam mounted to revolve on the stand, in a plane at an angle to the vertical, a passenger ship mounted on one end of the beam, ballasting means at each end of the beam, one being located adjacent the ship, and means for varying the influence of said ballasting means.

5. An amusement device comprising a stand, a beam mounted to revolve on the stand, a passenger ship on one end of the beam, liquid containing tanks mounted on opposite ends of the beam, one being located adjacent the ship, and means for transferring the liquid from tank to tank.

6. An amusement device comprising a stand, a beam mounted on the stand, said beam and stand being provided one with a bearing and the other with a shaft which is rotatable in the bearing, the axes of the shaft and bearing being arranged at an angle to the vertical whereby the beam is mounted to revolve on the stand in a plane at an angle to the vertical and a passengership mounted on one end of the beam,

VICTOR STANZEL. 

